West Hampstead treads a new path
West Hampstead Housing Association is to adopt the name of a former commercial subsidiary in an effort to relaunch the troubled organisation.
Shareholders voted this week to form a new association - called Pathmeads Housing Association - based on West Hampstead's temporary housing operation. Pathmeads was previously a registered company formed to make profits for West Hampstead through investments in commercial properties. After it contributed to a group deficit of £4.78 million in 2000/1, its activities were discontinued (Inside Housing, 1 March).
Genesis Housing Group, which West Hampstead joined on 1 April this year, intends that Parthmeads HA will eventually take over the temporary housing operation of fellow subsidiary Paddington Churches Housing Association. PCHA would in turn manage Pathmeads' permanent tenancies